Cincinnati’s hallmark LED sign is getting a makeover alongside the Duke Energy Convention Center on which it hangs.
The 17-year-old “Cincinnati” sign is being upgraded as part of the reimagination and modernization of the convention center, which has been closed since the summer of 2024 to undergo renovations. The project’s design team, Moody Nolan and TVS Architecture, and 3CDC, say they evaluated the building’s façade to determine areas of improvement, including the western-facing side where the sign is.
3CDC says the current signage, while popular with its color-changing feature, has issues with functionality and it’s difficult to get replacement parts when things break. The panels are also expensive to maintain.
Updates to the sign include individual LED-illuminated letters, which will give operators complete creative control over the content displayed within the sign. Operators will be able to customize each letter, including colors, motion graphics, animations and even separate video streams, allowing for visually striking and brand-specific designs, says 3CDC. For example, the sign can be customized to display tiger stripes on Cincinnati Bengals game days or the logos of the Cincinnati Reds or FC Cincinnati. The sign will also be able to support live video playback, like the board at Fountain Square.
Along with providing incredible visuals, the sign will also have better functionality, efficiency and reduced maintenance costs compared to the original Cincinnati sign.
“The Cincinnati sign is a truly iconic piece of the skyline synonymous with a warm welcome as you enter our city,” City Manager Sheryl Long said in a press release. “I’m thrilled to see the convention center upgrade to a new system that enhances our capabilities to celebrate our City while maintaining the tradition so many have grown to love. It’s just another piece of this transformational renovation that will have a lasting impact on not only the City but the region.”
Along with the upgraded sign, the convention center will install a separate 70’ x 26’ video board on the façade’s southwest corner. This board will be used to highlight things like local events, information for visitors, paid advertisements and more.
“When we started looking into making changes to this portion of the convention center’s façade, we took to heart the sense of nostalgia the Cincinnati community feels for this unique piece of our city,” said Katie Westbrook, senior vice president of development at 3CDC. “This upgraded sign will honor that tradition but take the experience of the sign to another level with its new features and ability for customization. The upgraded sign is perfectly aligned with the first-class experience we’re creating at the reimagined convention center.”
Demolition of the Cincinnati sign is scheduled for June and will take place throughout the summer. The new sign is expected to be installed and operational by the time the convention center is finished undergoing renovations, which could be as soon as December.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 10, 2025.
